A little disappointed with the latest Rachel Hawkins. Thought the premise was really interesting, but the novel was quite disjointed and it didn't feel like complete? The story was a little rushed. The twist ending was great, though!

Looking forward to the next novel!

I love Rachel Hawkins, will read anything she writes. I also love toxic families and family reunions. I loved that the main female character got her way in the end, that so rarely happens, especially when the main male character is directly involved in the drama. This was very twisty and I was here for it.

This is my first Rachel Hawkins book and now I want to go back through her backlog! This was a super fun and captivating book. I was definitely drawn in from the start, which I appreciate!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Rachel Hawkins for the advanced copy of The Heiress in exchange for my honest review!

I have read every book Hawkins has put out so far, and I have to say I think this one is my favorite! Her signature style of alternating point of views and timelines is expertly executed in this book.

While there were one or two small things I predicted, Hawkins expertly pulled the rug out from under me on a couple big plot twists. I found myself thinking about this one for quite a bit after I finished it because I was so impressed with how the wool had been pulled over my eyes.

I can't wait to see what Hawkins comes up with next!

The Heiress will be on US bookshelves January 9!

This is my fourth book by Rachel Hawkins and it was one of my favorites. I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded; alternating POV's and letters from Ruby. This is a slow burn that gave you breadcrumbs to piece together trying to figure out who this family really is knowing they'll stop at nothing to get what they think is theirs and out anyone they think doesn't belong. But who belongs and who doesn't?! At one point I thought I figured out a twist, I wasn't totally correct, but I was close enough and it certainly changed the rest of the book. Fans of Hawkins should add The Heiress to their TBR.
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Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Ruby McTavish has always been famous. The richest woman in North Carolina, she was kidnapped as a child and later became the widow to 4 husbands. When she dies in 2013, she leaves everything to her adopted son, Camden. But he doesn't want anything to do with the family, the home, or the 9 figure inheritance. Now 10 years later, Camden is going back home to settle things with his family. But what he learns is more than he bargained for.

The Heiress is a mix of the book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and the movie Knives Out. We learn the history behind all of Ruby’s hisbands, but we also see a fight over inheritance. With that being said, part of the story did not feel all that original to me.

I enjoyed the mixed media used - reading news articles and letters in the mix of the story. It felt like two stories were being told at once - Ruby’s past and Camden and Jules present. At times, I didn't know how these stories would feel cohesive. However, I enjoyed how everything came together in the end.

I felt like this book was one of my favorites by Rachel Hawkins. It was a quick read. I really enjoyed all of the characters; they felt unique and diverse. I really got a kick out of Jules’ humor. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Camden and Jules.

Holy f*ck! 🚨Sound the Pee-Wee Herman alarm because that’s the secret word!🚨 Okay, I’ll cut it out. But that was every character’s favorite expletive and clearly I enjoyed that 😂.
I have read The Wife Upstairs and Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins and this if BY FAR my favorite book from her. It was so uniquely and addictively laid out. There were 2 present day POVs from Cam (the heir) and Jules (his wife) that alternated with each chapter. After most chapters there was a letter from Ruby (the infamous heiress) discussing the most notable events from her life. Heavy spotlights on her past controversial marriages. These letters felt very “Evelyn Hugo” if that book went 🗣️ dark. I ate them up!! After the letters, there were articles from the media that were written during the time period of the events Ruby had discussed.
Every single character had secrets. And I couldn’t forget that prologue that forced assumptions into my head that I didn’t know what to do with! I was collecting puzzle pieces as the story unfolded but found myself hanging by a mere thread with each of my theories. I absolutely devoured this book to get the answers!

Smart, fast paced, twisty, and addictive! This is a must read for every thriller lover out there. Brava, Ms. Hawkins! 😘👌🏼

I received an electronic ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.
This is one I considered not finishing but I'm glad I did read the whole book. Hawkins style is one you need to become accustomed to and this book is no different. Told from three POVs - Jules, Camden, Ruby. By the time covered in the book, Ruby has been dead ten years so her story is told through her letters and through the connections to other characters. The first third of the book sets up the characters and is a bit stilted in how they are presented. None are particularly likeable but that sets up the rest of the plotlines. From the start, hints are offered that no one is exactly as they seem. No spoilers in this review but do stay with the book as the last chapters reveal so many family secrets and weave everything together. By the end, readers have more knowledge than either Cam or Jules and, in a bit of a warped way, see how much they do love each other.

Cam and Jules live a relatively meager life. He, a schoolteacher and she, a worker on a farm. They have a true love for one another and are happy with their situation. Jules knows a bit about Cam’s past, that he left his family and inheritance behind, but not a lot of detail behind the why. Over the years, various family members have reached out to Cam, asking him to return to Ashby House, his family’s estate - and those requests have gone ignored by Cam.

However, Cam receives correspondence from Ben, describing the state of disrepair of Ashby House and requesting that Cam come home. The family fortune has been left in inheritance to Cam, so it is a cumbersome process for others to try to use that money to do things like restore Ashby House to its past glitz and glam.

After conversation with Jules, they decide to go. Jules is excited to see where Cam came from, to meet his family, and see the glory of Ashby House.

The story actually starts off centered around the matriarch of the family, Ruby McTavish. As a 3 year old child, Ruby was lost in the woods surrounding Ashby and was presumed dead (though no body was found). A few years later, Ruby was found in the home of a worker of her father’s and returned to the family. Ruby doesn’t remember much of her time with the Darnell’s (the family that abducted her), as she was so small.

After Cam and Jules arrive at Ashby, we learn that Ruby left Cam some letters outlining/describing parts of her life; her four marriages, the deaths of each of her husbands, and why she came to adopt Cam.

The question is - are Jules’ intentions pure in her wanting to learn about where Cam came from or is there something else she’s seeking? What is this family hiding behind the dilapidated doors of Ashby House?

I LOVE Rachel Hawkins books and this one did not disappoint. A dysfunctional, very wealthy family with so many secrets and lies and betrayals that it makes your head spin!!!

This story captivated me from page one until the final line. I haven’t seen so many twisted and greedy characters in quite awhile!!!

5 BIG stars for this delicious tale of a crazy family!

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the chance to read and review this book!!!

This is the kind of book that grabs you from the first sentence, and before you know it, you’ve lost yourself in a world of wealth and drama. One of the many reasons I adore this author is the seamless flow of her writing. You can easily pick up the book and lose track of time—a true testament to the art of storytelling.

Enter a world where the characters aren’t just obscenely rich; they’re deliciously horrible people. Who can resist the allure of drama among the elite? The problems money brings add an extra layer of excitement, making every page a thrilling journey into the complexities of the affluent.

And the twist at the end! It caught me off guard in the best way possible. A well-executed surprise that adds that extra spice to an already captivating tale.

The Heiress is an escape into a world of wealth, deceit, and unexpected turns. The writing style is a breeze, the characters are delightfully despicable, and that twist at the end? Pure brilliance. If you’re a fan of drama, decadence, and jaw-dropping surprises, this one’s a must-read!

3.5 stars. I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley so I felt an obligation to continue reading even after being unimpressed with the first few chapters. Each chapter alternates between a total of 3 narrators: husband, wife, and mother/mother-in-law. I honestly found the trajectory of the plot a bit forced, bordering on amateur in the style of how "breadcrumbs" of the plot were scattered in a clear effort to try and engage the reader's interest to continue reading. However, then there was a moment about 1/2 of the way into the book where the plot leaped forward and I found myself skipping ahead a few chapters to catch a glimpse of how things would continue with that particular narrator (the wife character). I also usually avoid books with murder and violence, so I did not enjoy that specific (and prominent) aspect of the storyline. However, I also found myself staying up late to continue reading the last 1/4 of the book and found a vast improvement in regards to literary interest and storyline for the conclusion of the book (especially compared to the first 1/3 of the book). Due to the clunky start, and my own personal preference to not read books with murder/violence I lowered my rating to 3.5. However, due to the quality ending I erred on the side of a 4 star Goodreads rating (instead of 3 stars). I will probably not seek out other books by Rachel Hawkins after reading this book.

It occurs to me as I’ve finished The Heiress that you have certain expectations when you crack open a book. Does this book live up to its hype? Are there enough twists to surprise me? Will I relate to the characters? Is it a page turner or a slog to get through? The answers to these questions in my mind are as follows. The author has by now proved herself pretty reliable. Some twists left early clues. None of the characters echoed my own life in any way. And the pages never got bogged down making the read an exercise in endurance. In the end I would say that this makes The Heiress a fun read.

4.5 🌟

After reading this book about... well, murders I'm questioning my character because I absolutely loved it!

This book had me hooked from basically the first page. I loved the multiple POVs and hearing from the dead mom via letters she had written. The twists kept coming and kept me guessing for most of the book.

Thanks, Netgalley for thr ARC of this book!

A first for me by Rachel Hawkins and I can 💯 see the appeal of her books!

The Heiress was a fast paced… need to read one more chapter book that kept me on my toes!
It is delivered through three distinct POVs that is easy to follow along drawing the story to life and leaving you thinking you may know what is about to unfold but who,what,where and why!

Get ready for…
Dysfunctional family
An eerie estate
SECRETS! SECRETS! SECRETS!

I loved this book. The Heiress gave me everything I could ever want in a thriller, and I was pleasantly surprised by many of the twists! Definitely recommend this read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

First off, wow. I did not see that twisty turny ending coming. To be honest, the book was a little boring at first, but then we get the “so I’m the villain” turn and I was hooked!

I loved that no matter what the turn was and how shocking, it seemed that Cam always somehow knew. I give him props for not calling his wife out ever- couldn’t be me. This book was filled with complicated relationships, secrets, betrayal in all the darkest ways. Major kudos to Rachel Hawkins for always keeping us on our toes!

While not my favorite Rachel Hawkins book, I really enjoyed The Heiress. Ruby McTavish is kidnapped when she is young, but recovered and returned to her family. She grows up to inherit the family fortune, and when she dies she leaves everything to her adopted son, Camden. Camden wants little to do with the McTavish fortune and leaves North Carolina to create a new life for himself. When Camden is contacted by his cousin still living in the Ashby House of his mother, Camden and his wife Jules must return to make some necessary renovations to the family home.

This book is like a mystery in a mystery. First you need to find out what happened when Ruby was kidnapped, then you have find out why none of Ruby's husbands can seem to stay alive. This thriller really kept me guessing with multiple surprises along the way to keep things interesting. It was kind of mix of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo mixed with Knives Out. You had the romantic flings of Ruby with the greedy back stabbing family. I enjoyed the mix of plots. Would recommend for a thriller lover!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for granting me a free copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins in a twisty thriller about a messed-up rich family behaving badly. Camden and his wife Jules return to his family's estate in NC to settle some family business after a death. Cam is adopted and the rest of his wealthy family has never seen him as anything but an interloper after the family money. But there is more to the family history that is slowly revealed to the reader through alternating POV, letters, and newspaper clippings. I did guess a few of the twist reveals which was satisfying but also a bit disappointing. I like being surprised. This was a fun a quick read.

4.5 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


Another dark & twisty novel from Rachel Hawkins. She truly is the master of delving into the shadows of the human psyche. I could not put this one down!

The Heiress refers to Ruby McTavish, sole heir to the McTavish fortune and Ashby House. Tavistock, NC is referenced as a Gilmore Girls dream. Sounds like the perfect little town, until you realize that Tavistock is essentially a fiefdom for the McTavishes.

Camden McTavish is Ruby’s adoptive son. When Ruby realized that she had no heirs, even after four failed marriages, she found the child she wanted. Raised him in the hopes that he would be better than the bloodline McTavishes who were ruthless and greedy. She did good with Camden, until she didn’t. Camden ran away to California to try to make it on his own.

In California, Camden meets Jules and they fall in love and move to Colorado. Camden has put the entire McTavish history behind him, or so he thinks. Then one day his cousin Ben reaches out saying they need him back at Ashby House, since he holds all the strings to the house and money.

Camden resists going, but Jules convinces him to try again. Jules, expecting that they can turn around the remaining family, or at least oust them from the kingdom. Little does she know just how dark and sinister these people can be.

Great novel again from Rachel Hawkins. I get so engrossed in her storytelling. The vivid descriptions and the deep characters. This was another really good one.